


Ignis Scientia and the Case of the Family Heirloom

by PumpkinSoldier



Series: The Case of.... [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Minor Original Character(s), Platonic Relationships, Young Ignis Scientia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 22:09:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21399433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinSoldier/pseuds/PumpkinSoldier
Summary: Father twisted off the ring on his right hand. "Do you know what this is Ignis?""Your ring?""Yes. But it's a special ring you see." Father said. "Your Grandfather gave one to me, and to your Uncle too. It's a family ring, passed down from person to person. And now, I think it's time for you to have it too."Ignis let out a tiny gasp. "But it's yours!""But I'm giving it to you." Father said with a smile, placing it into Ignis's palm. "To keep forever.""Really?! I can keep it forever?"
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia
Series: The Case of.... [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542763
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	Ignis Scientia and the Case of the Family Heirloom

**Author's Note:**

> Here dropping a fic for a brand new series! ♡♡♡  
Big big big thank you to  
[Boogs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boogs/pseuds/Boogs) and  
[MathClassWarfare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MathClassWarfare/pseuds/MathClassWarfare) for beta reading this for me ♡♡♡  
And another thank you to [Blue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue) for helping me out with the Scientia Family motto ♡♡♡ 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!!!

Ignis knocked on the door, like he'd seen Nanny Rosa do countless times before. 

"Come in." The warm voice of his father called out to him. 

With all the might a six year old could muster, Ignis pushed open the heavy doors, and tripped on his open shoe lace. 

His father sat in the large armchair by the fireplace, a steaming cup of tea perched on the coffee table beside him, a velvety green book with gold trimmings in hand. 

"Ignis." He smiled, the corners of his brilliant green eyes crinkled, and his big, bushy ash-blonde moustache twitched. "Is everything alright?" 

Ignis hovered by the door, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves. 

"Ignis?" Father asked again. He frowned, setting aside his book. "Is something wrong?" He stood up, walking towards him. 

Ignis bolted towards his father, throwing his arms around his waist. "I don't want to go to Insomnia." He mumbled. 

Father detached Ignis from him and knelt down, gently lifting Ignis' face to look at him. "What was that Ignis? I didn't hear you." 

"I don't want to go to Insomnia." Ignis replied, crossing his arms. 

"Ignis, come now, what's this about? I thought you were excited to go?" 

"No! I don't want to go!" Ignis said, stomping his foot. "I don't want to go!" 

"Why? Did something happen?" Father asked. "Did someone say something to you?" 

Ignis huffed. "Nanny Rosa said that you aren't coming with me." He uncrossed his arms, staring down at the floor. "She said that I have to go on my own, and-" his breath hitched in his throat. "And I can't take Figment with me, and-and I have to stay with Uncle --" tears welled in Ignis' eyes. "And I don't want to go without you! It's not fair!" 

"Oh Ignis." His father scooped him up in his arms, and swayed back and forth, gently rocking him. "It’s alright lad, I’ve got you Ignis, there’s no need to cry. Why don’t you talk to me about it? I’ll ask Nanny Rosa to make us some hot chocolate too. ” He said, standing straight. Ignis buried his face into Father's jacket, wrapped tiny arms around his neck and mumbled. 

"What was that Ignis?" Father asked. "I didn't quite hear you." 

Ignis leant back, a grumpy look on his face as he picked at Father's smoking jacket. "What if the Prince is  _ mean _ ?" 

"Ignis, he's four." 

Ignis pulled a face. "Castor is mean and he's four." 

Father frowned. "Yes well his father is mean too -" 

"He isn't mean!" 

"But he is!" Father insisted. "Whenever we meet, he always cheats when we play games."

Ignis frowned. "He didn't cheat! You're just bad at chess." 

" _ Oh?  _ And just how would you know?" 

"Mother told me." Ignis said with a grin. "She says you lose every time you play chess against her." 

"Did she now?" 

Ignis nodded eagerly. "And checkers, and cards and Clue and-" 

"Alright, alright I get it. Your mother is better than me." Father sighed. "After all, she's the one that made Figment the way he is. My attempt turned out somewhat poorly." 

"Mother said that it looked like a dish towel with eyes." 

"Mother seems to be telling on me a lot isn’t she." Father sighed. "But, how about I tell you something Mother won't?" 

"What is it?" 

Father twisted off the ring on his right hand. "Do you know what this is Ignis?" 

"Your ring?" 

"Yes. But it's a special ring you see." Father said. "Your Grandfather gave one to me, and to your Uncle too. It's a family ring, passed down from person to person. And now, I think it's time for you to have it too." 

Ignis let out a tiny gasp. "But it's yours!" 

"But I'm giving it to you." Father said with a smile, placing it into Ignis's palm. "To keep forever." 

"Really?! I can keep it forever?" 

"Forever and ever." Father said. "And know that when you wear it, even though I may not be with you in person, I'll always be with you here." He tapped Ignis's chest, just over his heart. "Even when you don't wear it, our family will always be together." 

Ignis gave him a big grin. "I'll keep it safe! I swear! I'll wear it every single day!" He said, putting it on, only for it to slide completely down and spin around on his tiny finger. 

"I'll see if I can find you a chain to put it on until you grow big enough to wear it properly." Father said. "Put it in your pocket for now, for safekeeping, and then before you go to bed, leave it out on your cabinet and I'll turn it into a necklace." 

Ignis nodded, he opened the tiny buttoned pocket on his shorts and slipped the ring inside, before fastening the pocket up again. 

Father set him back down. "Why don't you go pick a story for me to read to you?" 

"Nanny Rosa says I'm too big to have stories read to me." 

"Nonsense. Nanny Rosa is just grumpy that no one reads them to her." Father smiled and tapped Ignis on the nose. "Go on Ignis. Go pick one, I'll be right here waiting." 

Ignis grinned and nodded, before turning to run out of the study and along the hall. 

There was a desk pushed up against the window in his bedroom, overlooking the garden. His wardrobe was next to it, along with a chest of drawers. His small violin was neatly placed in one corner, and two massive bookshelves occupied the other, with a small ladder so Ignis could reach the very top shelf. 

Figment the dragon was sitting on his bed, neatly resting by his pillows, his head flopped to one side as he seemed to look at Ignis. Figment was a deep purple colour, with a green underbelly. His eyes were made from small emerald green buttons, and a silky tongue poked out of Figment’s mouth. 

Figment’s wings were a shiny purple colour too, as wide as Ignis's palm. A slim black ribbon was wrapped around Figment’s throat, with a little gold tag that had his name neatly scrawled onto it, and on the other side, Ignis's initials. 

Ignis picked up the handmade dragon from his bed. "You come too Figment!" he announced, as he made his way to the packed bookshelf. He picked a thin blue book from the fourth row (He could reach it on his tiptoes without using the ladder!) before he rushed back to the study.

"Have you chosen one Ignis?" Father asked, sitting back in his armchair. "And you've brought Figment to join us as well, wonderful." He beamed. "Come on then." 

Ignis hurried over. He climbed up onto Father's lap, and kicked off his shoes as a blanket was tucked around the three of them. 

"Are you comfortable?" 

Ignis nodded, leaning back into the safe space of his Father's chest, as his arms wrapped around him. 

"And you Figment, are you comfortable too?" 

Ignis poked Figments head up from the blanket. "Figment said yes." 

"Excellent. Let us begin then." 

Father opened the book and started to read. 

_ 'The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night...'  _

\---

Ignis missed his Mother and Father terribly on his very first night at the Citadel. His new room was far too big and empty. 

But the King had told him he could fill it with whatever he liked, just like the Prince. 

The Prince's room was packed full of toys, and a small bookshelf, and a small piano too. That was the only thing that really caught Ignis's eye, but he daren't ask for one. 

Ignis doesn't like his new room. It's cold and empty, and everything seems much too loud. 

As he lay on his side, he looked at Father's ring hooked around a silver chain around his neck. 

The ring was made up of three bands,all connected as one. It was silver in colour, with two bright emerald stones in the middle of the first and third band. The second band was much thinner, simple and plain. 

On the other side of the ring, the thicker part, was an inscription : 

_ Fidelis, veritas, et patria.  _

Loyalty, truth and country.

The Scientia family motto, Father had told him. 

Ignis closed his hand around the ring. It was freezing cold in his palm, but Ignis held tight. 

He didn't mean to cry. 

But it was too cold and too quiet in his room. 

Insomnia was too big and too loud. 

He wanted to go home. 

He wanted to go home and sit with Mother and Father and play board games by the fire. 

He wanted to go home and drink hot chocolate and bake sweets with Nanny Rosa. 

He only briefly saw Uncle Horus today, before Ignis was ushered away to meet the Prince. 

Noctis was nice he supposed. 

They played in Noctis's room, where he was shown the collection of plush animals. Noctis had shown his favourites : Two near identical black cats. One with a tiny bell collar called Binx, and the other with a red ribbon called Salem. 

Ignis had nervously shown off Figment during tea with the King. 

"Wow Iggy!" Noctis had said. "That's such a cool dragon! Can I hold him?!" 

In a panic, Ignis had clutched Figment close to him, and yelled out a firm “No!” 

"Iggy! I wanna see!" Noctis reached out for him, tiny hands sticky with the jam tarts they'd eaten. 

"No!" Ignis said again, holding Figment away. 

"I wanna see!" 

"No!" 

Noctis was upset. He pulled a face, and tugged on the King's shirt. " _ Daddy!  _ Iggy won't let me see!" 

"Now Noctis." Regis had conjured up a wipe from thin air, and gently scrubbed at Noct's mouth and hands. "Ignis probably doesn't want you touching Figment because your hands are dirty. You wouldn't want anyone to play with Binx and Salem if they had jam on their hands would they?" 

"No…" 

"Not to mention-" Regis continued. "Figment is the only thing that Ignis brought with him from home. You can understand why he might not want you to play with it." 

Noctis pouted. "I still wanna play…" 

"And you can, but perhaps you can play with Binx and Salem, and Ignis can keep hold of Figment." Regis smiled. "What do you say Ignis? Does that sound okay?" 

Ignis hugged Figment close to his chest and shyly nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty." 

They had all played for an hour, before King Regis had to leave to do...King Stuff™, Ignis wasn't quite sure what it was yet, but it was  _ very  _ important. 

He and Noctis were allowed to play for a little while longer, until Noctis was whisked away by Nurse Maria, scolding Ignis for the jam stains on Noctis's clothes. 

He'd been sent straight to his room after, and Ignis had sat on the bed, clutching Figment close until it was time for bed. 

Ignis didn’t want to admit it, but he had cried himself to sleep that night. 

And the night after that….

And the night after that…

Noctis made it better. He would ask Ignis for stories about home, and Ignis would happily tell him about how he and Father had swapped out the sugar for salt when Mother made scones, and how he and Mother put whoopee cushions in Father's study. 

Mother and Father's letters had always cheered him up too. Almost every week he had a new one, telling him everything he missed like he'd never left in the first place. 

Until one particular day, after Ignis had been in the Citadel for a few months or so, the letters stopped arriving. 

Uncle Horus had rushed into the playroom, and plucked Ignis off of the floor, holding onto him tightly. 

Ignis didn't understand what was happening, until Uncle Horus had set him down and carefully explained that Mother and Father wouldn't be sending any more letters, because...because the Empire had set the house on fire, and sealed the doors so no one could get out. 

Uncle Horus cried, and then Ignis had cried, and held onto Father's ring so tightly it had left marks in his hand. 

There was a small funeral two days later. Ignis wasn't allowed to bring Figment, but he held onto Uncle Horus's hand, and patted at Father's ring around his neck. 

He cried himself to sleep that night too, but Noctis snuck into his room and announced that he ( _ and Figment!) would  _ keep Ignis safe. 

Ignis lost Figment about two years later. 

"Take Figment to the Aquarium!" Noctis said. "Im bringing Binx with me!" He held up the black cat plush, before gently depositing him into his small purple backpack. Noctis zipped it up, leaving Binx's head to stick out the top. "Look! Now he can see too!" 

"I don't know Noctis, Nurse Maria doesn't like when we take toys from the playroom." 

"But this one is yours," Noctis said. "And you won't lose him! You're super careful!" 

And that was the last time that Ignis ever saw Figment. 

They were on their way back from the Aquarium, marvelling at the Jellyfish exhibit, when Noctis had loudly announced that he had to go and he had to go  _ right now _ and  _ no Uncle Cor, it couldn't wait.  _

So, they had all gotten out of the car to use one of the public toilets much to the Marshall's displeasure. 

Ignis and Nurse Maria stood waiting nearby. He was far too absorbed in watching a group of ladybirds scamper across the wall to notice Nurse Maria unzipping his backpack. 

Ignis turned just as Nurse Maria plucked Figment from his bag, pinching his ear with her fingers. She held the dragon away from her, a look of disgust on her face. 

"Oh dear, this won't do at all," She tutted. 

Ignis frowned, and reached out for him. "What are you doing with Figment?" 

Nurse Maria held him out of reach. "This toy is filthy. You can't take him back to the Citadel." 

"Figment isn't dirty!" Ignis insisted. "May I have him back now please?" 

"It's in completely unacceptable condition. You cannot have such a filthy toy near the Prince. What if he was to get sick?" Nurse Maria said. 

"But Figment isn't dirty!" Ignis resisted the urge to stomp his foot. "He's mine! I would like him back now please." 

"Look here." Nurse Maria turned Figment around. "See here, absolutely disgusting." She said, before dropping him into the muddy puddle by their feet. 

"No!" Ignis made to grab for him, but Nurse Maria seized his arm, digging her fingers into it. 

"You see, disgusting." Nurse Maria hissed. 

She gave Figment a kick, leaving behind a muddy print on his underbelly. 

Ignis struggled in her hold, desperately trying to reach for Figment. "Stop it!" he cried. He swung out with his free arm and hit at Nurse Maria's hand. "Stop it!" 

Nurse Maria took hold of his other arm. "Listen here boy. Now, it simply isn't proper for the future king's advisor to throw a tantrum. And it simply isn't proper for the future king's advisor to be playing with such childish toys." 

Using a handkerchief, she took hold of Figments ear again. "Childish things such as this should be disposed of." She sneered at him. In a swift move, she tossed Figment over the side of the bridge. 

"No!" Ignis tried to pull his arm out from Nurse Maria's hold. "No! Let me go! I have to get Figment!" 

"Go where? There is nothing for you to for you to find-" 

"I'll tell!" Ignis yelled. "I'll tell-" 

"Who will you tell?" Nurse Maria hissed. "No one will believe you."

"King Regis will!" 

"You will really bother His Majesty with something as trivial as this? He's far too busy to deal with the likes of  _ you-"  _

"Let me go!" 

Cor made his way back over, Noctis settled into his arms, animatedly chatting to Nyx over his shoulder. 

"Maria? Is everything alright?" Cor frowned upon seeing Ignis. "Why is Ignis so upset?" 

" _ Figment!  _ He-" 

"Ignis here is throwing a little temper tantrum." Maria said. "He seems to have lost his toy." 

Cor settled Noctis down and knelt in front of Ignis. "Ignis? Is that why you're upset? You lost Figment?" 

Ignis nodded and sniffed, wiping at his nose. 

"Do you have an idea as to where you could have lost him?" 

Ignis opened his mouth, but he felt Nurse Maria's fingers dig into his arm. Ignis closed his mouth immediately and shook his head. 

"Okay," Cor let out a small sigh. "I'm afraid we don't have time to go back to the Aquarium to look for him, but when we get back to the Citadel I'll call them and see if they can find him alright?" 

"Don't be sad Iggy!" Noctis said. "We'll find Figment! Uncle Cor's really good at finding stuff!" 

Noctis took hold of Cor's hand, walking with the Marshall back to the car. 

"Come on buddy-" Nyx said holding out his hand to Ignis. "Let's go back yeah?" 

"M'not a baby." Ignis muttered. "I don't need anyone to hold my hand." 

"True, but  _ I  _ need someone to hold my hand. I don't wanna get lost you know?" 

Ignis scrubbed at his face and took Nyx's hand, giving one last mournful look to where Nurse Maria had thrown Figment, before he allowed himself to be led away. 

\---

_ Nine Years Later  _

Ignis skimmed through his notebook, searching for something to make. 

Prompto had been over for the first time in a while, exhausted from extensive Crownsguard training, perhaps  _ Green Curry Soup _ ? 

He glanced over to the living room, and could just make out the tops of Noctis’s and Prompto’s heads over the sofa, absorbed in the TV screen. 

He set the notebook aside and started gathering all the necessary ingredients. 

Ignis set them out on the side, peeled off his gloves, tucked them into his back pocket, and picked up a sweet pepper. 

"Whoa! Nice bling Iggy!" Prompto's hand shot out, gently taking hold of Ignis's wrist to look at the ring. "You got a secret boo we don't know about?" 

Ignis let out a delicate snort. "And when exactly am I supposed to have time for this so called secret boo?" 

Prompto grinned. "I dunno what you do in your free time, dude. You could be out with them for all I know." 

"Ahh yes, you've caught me," Ignis deadpanned. "I meet with my secret  _ boo _ every Wednesday night and we dine out on greasy burgers and cheesy fries." 

"You curse me out for eating Kenny Crow's and yet here you are." Noctis wandered over to the kitchen, slumping over by the breakfast bar. "What, you gonna get married to them too?" 

"We're already married," Ignis replied. "We eloped last year. It was a lovely ceremony. Kenny Crow officiated it." 

Noctis pulled a face. “Ugh, you know what, I’m glad I wasn’t there. I would have punched that creepy bird in the face.” 

“I’m sad I missed it. Bet those would have been some killer wedding pics.” Prompto pouted. “Iggy, you’d invite me to your wedding right? For realsies? I'd take your photos!”    


"For realsies." Ignis repeated, and a smile tugged at his lips. "But, in all seriousness, it's a family heirloom." He said, twisting the ring off of his finger to tuck into his shirt pocket. "My father gave it to me before I left for Insomnia. It's all I brought with me." 

"Don't forget Figment too." Noctis yawned. 

"Who's Figment?" 

"No one- " 

"He was a plushie that Specs had. A dragon, right?" Noct said, much to Ignis's protests. "He used to take him everywhere. It was kinda adorable." 

"Aww, Iggy that's so cute!" Prompto cooed. "Never took you for the plushie type." 

"Yes, well when I was younger," Ignis replied, face flushed pink. "My mother had made him for me." 

"Do you still have him?" 

"Unfortunately, no." Ignis said, gaze downcast. "I. . .I lost him." 

"You lost him?" Prompto gasped. "But you're so careful with your stuff!" 

"Yes well, I didn't… I didn't exactly lose him myself." Ignis began. " Someone else did." 

"W-was it Noct?" 

"No! No of course not!" 

"Then who-" 

"Ignis," Noctis said in a tone that was not to be argued with. "What really happened?" 

Ignis sighed. Time for the truth to finally come out. "You remember the Nanny that we had?" 

"Um, Nurse Maria right?" Noctis wrinkled his nose. "What about her?" 

"Well," Ignis hesitated for a moment. "She deemed that I was far too old to be playing with toys. So, that day that we visited the Aquarium, to see the new Jellyfish exhibit, she seized him from my backpack and tossed him." He frowned. "From what I remember, I think she said something along the lines of ' _ it isn't proper for the future advisor of the king to be playing with such childish toys' _ ." 

"She what?!" Noctis was furious. "What the hell?! You were only a kid!" 

"It's fine Noct, it's in the past-" 

"It’s not fine Specs! You were a kid! That was like, the only thing you brought from home!" Noct argued. "Why was I still allowed to play with Binx and Salem?! Why was I allowed to keep them?!" 

Ignis looked down at the floor, refusing to meet Noct's eyes. "Because you're the Prince." 

" _ What?"  _

"King Regis wanted you to have a proper childhood. That is why you were allowed to keep them for as long as you did - Why you  _ still  _ have them." 

"Specs-" Noct said, suddenly sounding drained like all the fight left him, "Ignis I’m-" 

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'I'm sorry' I'll put carrots in your food for a whole month." 

" _ Specs-"  _

"Really Noct. I'm-I'm fine. It was nine years ago. I'm over it. Truly." Ignis said adjusting his glasses. "Go back to your game. Dinner will be ready shortly." 

Noct hesitated, before rushing to Ignis, giving him a sideways hug. "If you're sure Specs." 

Ignis squeezed his arm. "I'm sure. Thank you for asking Noct." 

Noct immediately detached himself from Ignis and made a beeline back toward the sofa. 

Prompto still remained in the kitchen, a faraway look on his face. 

Ignis lightly shook his shoulder. "You alright Prompto?"

"Huh? Oh y-yeah I'm fine. Just thinkin' is all." 

"Well, don't think too hard lest you hurt yourself." Ignis teased. 

"I'm wounded Iggy," Prompto gasped. "Wounded!" He brought his hand to his face, sighing dramatically. "But uh, you need any help?" 

Ignis shook his head. "No thank you, I can manage. Just keep his royal sleepiness company for me." 

Prompto grinned. "Sure can do Igster!" 

\---

_ Five Years Later, After the Fall.  _

Ignis peeled off his mud-stained gloves and sent them to the Armiger--he'd retrieve them when it was time to clean up--and let out a sigh. 

"You okay there Iggy?" 

"Fine." Ignis replied. "Those were my nice gloves." 

Gladio patted his shoulder with less enthusiasm than usual. "Don't worry Igs, once we get into the motel room we'll get 'em cleaned up for you " 

"Not right away," he yawned. "For now, I just want food, a hot shower and sleep." 

"Wow Iggy skipping out on chores huh? You must be tired." Prompto said, playfully elbowing his side. "Don't worry Iggy, I'll get them washed for you!" 

"Thank you Prompto." Ignis glanced over at Noctis, who wandered ahead to secure them a room. "I'm going to see what's taking Noctis so long." 

"Is everything alright Noct?" He asked, once he had caught up with him. 

Noct let out a frustrated sigh. "He wants 900 Gil for the room." 

" _ 900 Gil?!"  _ Gladio repeated. "That's double the amount we usually pay." 

_ Damn.  _

They'd used most of their Gil on curatives and car repairs. 

It'd cost them almost everything, even with Cindy's best efforts to lower the prices. They'd been left with 400 Gil to spare. 

Time to negotiate. 

Ignis gently shoved Noctis aside. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement?" He put his hands up on the desk. "I'm afraid at this precise moment in time, we don't quite have 900 Gil on our person. What we  _ do  _ have is 300 Gil we can offer you." 

"Uh huh. Listen, you ain't fooling me city boys. You got a real fancy car there. Not to mention your clothes. I know you got more Gil to spare." 

"What we have, is Gil to procure medicine and potions. We're hunters you see, we need that, in an emergency." Ignis said. "As I mentioned, we have 300 Gil to offer you." 

The clerk's eyes travelled along Ignis' arm, down to his hand. "Tell you what boys. Forget the Gil, you give me  _ that _ \--" he pointed at Ignis' ring. "And you got yourself a room." 

Ignis drew his hand back immediately, Noct pushed himself forward again. 

"Absolutely not!" Noct hissed. "It's not for sale!" 

"Well then it looks like you fellas ain't getting a room." The clerk looked at Ignis. "Unless you wanna give me that ring there." 

"It's a family ring." Noctis replied. "Like I said it's not for sale." 

"We can make up the rest of the Gil." Gladio tried. "We put down the 300 and--" 

"And nothin'! No deal. I've had folk say the exact same thing to me before, only for them to run out next morning." 

"We give you our word! We promise!" Prompto said. 

"I don't care. That don't mean nothing ‘round here. I don't know you boys. Nor do I care." The clerk said. "Now go on. Get out of here." 

"But-" 

"Get out!" 

They begrudgingly made their way to the Crow's Nest across the street, which fortunately for them was fairly empty. 

They slid into a booth at the far back, Noct slumped down, leaning heavily into Gladio's side. " _ Ughhhhhhhh."  _

Prompto put his head down on the table. "Hey Iggy? Where's the next nearest caravan?" 

Ignis was staring solemnly at the table, deep in thought. He snapped out of it once Gladio kicked his foot under the table. 

"Iggy, you okay?" Gladio asked. "You were zoning out." 

"Oh, I'm fine, just a little tired." Ignis said. "I'm sorry, were you saying something?" 

"Blondie asked where the nearest caravan was." 

"Not going to put up a fight for a campsite?" 

"Normally yeah I would, but I gotta killer headache and I'm in desperate need for a bed." Gladio groaned, tipping his head back against the booth. 

Ignis glanced round at the dishevelled state of his friends, then down at the ring on his hand. He made a show of patting down his pockets. "Left the map in the car. Be right back." 

He stood, and hastily exited the diner, rushing back towards the desk before he could change his mind.

"Excuse me." He called, getting the clerk's attention. "Does your offer still stand?" 

"Well well well, I knew you'd cave eventually." The clerk grinned, he held his hand out expectedly. 

Ignis hesitated, twisting the ring around his finger. "You truly mean that if I give you this ring, you'll hand us the keys to a room?" 

The clerk nodded. "I already told you, yes." He picked a set of keys from the side. "Now, do we got a deal or what?" 

Ignis took off the ring and placed it down on the desk. "We have a deal." 

“Wonderful.” The clerk gave him a toothy grin. “Here you are boy. One set of keys as promised.” 

Ignis pocketed the keys and quickly walked back towards the Crow’s Nest, ignoring the rapidly growing pain building in his chest. 

He shoved open the diner door and took the keys from his pocket, waving them in front of the others. "There. One set of motel room keys." 

The others sat up straight immediately. 

"What? How?!" 

"A little bit of gentle persuasion." 

"You didn't do anything illegal did you?" 

Noct reached across the table, grabbing Ignis’s hand, examining it. “You gave him your ring.” 

“That I did.” 

"Why the hell did you give it away?!" 

"We needed the room." Ignis sighed, pulling his hand from Noct’s. "We're all exhausted, injured, and frankly, if I had to put up with the wet chocobo smell for one more night I would have gone mad." 

"But Igs, it's your family ring." Gladio argued. "An heirloom right?" 

"Well." Ignis said with a small, sad smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "There isn't much of a family left for it to be considered an heirloom is there?" 

" _ Iggy-- _ " 

"It’s fine." Ignis said, waving off the comments. He sat back down next to Prompto and picked up a menu, pointedly ignoring their stares. "What is everyone having?" 

"Ignis-" 

"What? We can afford to eat here tonight." He said. "Forgive me but I don't feel up to cooking tonight." 

\--- 

Prompto quietly tiptoed away from the beds toward the small kitchen, he glanced over his shoulder at Ignis who was sound asleep, before he reached for the motel room door and turned the knob, stepping out into the chilly night. 

"It's  _ fuh _ -reezing out here guys!" 

" _ Shh _ !" Noctis hissed, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he tried to keep warm. "You're gonna wake Specs!" 

"You _ shh _ ! You're making more noise than me!" 

"No you  _ shh _ !" 

"No you shh!" 

"No you--" 

"Both of you  _ shh _ !" Gladio said, whacking them both on the arms. "C'mon. Let's get moving. The sooner we do this the better." 

"Y'know if Iggy finds out we did this he's gonna flip his shit." 

"He'll flip his shit anyway," Noct said. "We're getting his ring back to him, how do you think he's gonna react?" 

"S'long as we don't do anything too illegal," Gladio said, "it'll be fine. Now, hurry up and pick the lock to the office, Prompto." 

Prompto sighed. "I  _ really  _ regret showing you guys I could do that." But he knelt down nonetheless and took out his handmade lockpick tool. "Keep a look out, will you?" He said. 

"What do you think we're doing, dummy?" Noct crossed his arms. "Hurry up too, it's cold." 

"I'm going as fast as I can!" 

" _ Ohmygod _ you two are literally the worst thieves ever," Gladio hissed. "Shut the hell up will you?" 

"Wow  _ rude. _ " Prompto let out a quiet whoop of joy as the lock undid with a soft  _ click _ . "Ta da!" 

"Finally. I'm freezing my ass off out here." Noct pushed open the door and ushered the two inside. "Come on, let's find the ring and get the hell out." 

They searched throughout the office, rifling through papers and pencil pots and desk drawers. 

"Did you find it?" 

"No! It's not here!" Noct whispered. "Gladio, any luck?" 

"No. Think he's got it on him?" 

"Maybe?" 

" _ The Hell are you doing in here?!"  _

"Oh shit." Noct turned around. “Uh, we got lost trying to find the bathroom?” 

\--- 

Ignis didn't want to admit it, but he had cried himself to sleep that night. 

He felt utterly awful. His heart still hurt at the loss of his family ring, the last reminder of the Scientia bloodline. 

And he had the most awful dream. His dream-self witnessed his family home being burned to the ground, while he could only watch in terror as a soldier seized him and threw the ring into the blaze too. 

He woke to the sun shining on his face. He huffed and rolled over to his other side to see Noctis staring down at him. I

"You're awake!" 

Ignis winced at the outburst. "What time is it?" 

"Eleven." 

" _ Eleven!?"  _ Ignis shot up, scrambling for his glasses. 

"It’s not like we've got anything to do today," Noct said. "Don't worry Specs." 

"But breakfast--" 

"Already taken care of." Gladio walked in holding a tray, and Prompto followed behind with a steaming mug in his hands. "Prompto and I cooked." 

"Hey,  _ I  _ helped." 

"Sure you did, Princess." Gladio set down the tray across Ignis's lap. "And your help was appreciated." 

"He burnt the toast." Prompto stage whispered, handing over the mug. "It  _ is  _ still edible. Little crispy though." 

Ignis took the mug from Prompto, offered a half smile before taking a sip of the cinnamon flavoured tea. 

He hummed, looking over at his breakfast. Two slices of toast cut diagonally into triangles with a thin layer of raspberry jam over it. A small bowl of porridge with a chocolate chip smiley face, and finally a small glass cup with chopped grapefruit, kiwi and strawberries. 

"How thoughtful of you all," Ignis said, but his eyes narrowed in suspicion. " _ What did you do _ ?" 

"What makes you think we did anything?" Noctis answered far too quickly. 

"Noctis Lucis Caelum, tell me what you did this instant." 

"Ooh, full named." Prompto sang. "Someone's in trou _ uuuubleee."  _

" _ Shut up _ !" Noctis hissed. 

"Don't think  _ you  _ get out of this either, Prompto." Ignis huffed. "What did you do?" 

"Gladio told me to pick the lock!" Prompto yelped and pointed at the Shield. 

" _ What the fuck _ Prompto!" Gladio shoved him, and nervously turned to Ignis. "It was Noct's idea." 

"Nope, nuh-uh." Noct pulled his hood over his face and flopped down onto the bed face first. "Noct isn't here right now. Please leave a message after the beep.  _ Beeeeeep _ ." 

"I won't ask again. What did you three  _ do?"  _ Ignis levelled them with a glare. 

"We broke into the clerk's office to steal your ring back." 

"You  _ what?!"  _

"We broke into the office to get your ring back." Gladio repeated. 

"We couldn't get it back though." Noct sat up and sighed. "He sold it to a hunter before we had a chance to get in there."

"But- _ why?"  _ Ignis asked. "That was reckless! What if something had happened to you? What would you have done if he demanded we leave? If you got hurt?!" 

"But we didn't!" 

Ignis shook his head. "That was incredibly foolish of all of you. Why would you even think of doing something like that?" 

"'Cuz it's important to you." Prompto replied. "You'd do the same for us."

"It's part of your family history." Gladio said. "It reminds you of them." 

"I don't need a ring to remind me of my family," Ignis said, thinking back to his father's words many years ago. He tapped his chest, just over his heart. "They're all in here." 

He looked up. Noctis was fiddling with the hem of his hoodie, Prompto nervously twisted his fingers together and Gladio drummed his hands against his legs. 

Ignis gave a soft smile to the three of them. "Besides, I have all the family I need, right here with me." 

  
  
  
  



End file.
